Tecoma. LXXXVIII. BIGNONIACE^. 393 



4 — 5-lobed ; ovary seated in a fleshy disk ; capsule ovoid, acute, 1- 

 celled, 2-valved, many-seeded. — % Stems mostly simple. 



1. O. UNiFLORA. fO. biflora. Nutt.) One-Jiowered Broomrape. 



Scapes in pairs, naked, each l-flo\vered. — A small, leafless plant, with the 

 general aspect of a Monotropa, found in woods and thickets. Can. and U. S. 

 iloot short, thick, smooth, scaly, sm-mounted by a stem not exceeding i' in length. 

 This divides at its top, generally into 2, scape-like, erect, round, simple, naked 

 peduncles 4 — 5' high, downy, purplish-white, with a nodding flower at the top, 

 of the same hue. A dozen or more such flower stalks are often found clustered 

 together. June, July. 



2. O. Americana. American Broomrape. 



St. simple, covered with oval-lanceolate, imbricated scales ; spike smooth, 

 terminal ; corolla recurved ; sla. exsert. — Woods, Can. to Ga. and La. Stem 

 very thick, 4 — 6' high, very smooth, brownish-yellow, leafless, closely imbri- 

 cated with pale, polished, oval scales. The spikes are dense. Bracts pale and 

 smooth like the scales of the stem. Corolla tubular, bent downwards, the upper 

 lip vaulted, yellow. Calyx irregularly divided into jagged segments, with 2 

 bracts at base. July. 



2. EPIPHEGUS. Nutt. 



Gr. cTTt, upon, (fiiryvi, the beech ; being supposed parasitical on the roots of that tree. 



MoDoeciously polygamous ; calyx abbreviated, 5-toothed. J' Co- 

 rolla ringent, compressed, 4-cleft. lower lip flat. 9 Corolla minute, 

 4-tootlied, deciduous; capsule truncate, oblique, 1 -celled, 2-valved, 

 opening only on one side. — % with virgate, simple brayiches ivhich are 

 jioriferous their ivhole length. 



E. ViRGiNiANUs. Eaton. (E. Americanus. Null and 1st edit.) Beech-drops. 



St. branched, leafless ; Jls. remote, alternate ; cor. 4-toothea, deciduous.- 

 This is said to be a parasitic plant growing from the roots of beech trees. 

 Woods, Can. to Car. and Ky. F.,oot a scaly ball covered with stiff", short and 

 brutle radicles. Stem a foot high, with slender and irregular branches given 

 off the whole length of it. Instead of leaves it has only a few small, ovate scales, 

 one at the base of each branch. Flowers alternately scattered on each branch, 

 the upper ones barren, with recurved corollas, brownish-white, with darker 

 stripes above. Fertile ones .smaller, deciduous. The whole plant is of a dull 

 red color. Aug. Sept. 



Order LXXXVIII. BIGNONIACE^.— Bignoniads. 



Trees, shrubs, or rarely herbs, often climbing or twining. 

 Lvs. opposite, eitlier simple or compound, without stipules. 

 Fts. terminal. Oil. divided or entire, sometimes spathaceous. 

 Cor. — Tube broad, with an irregular, 5lobed or bilabiate limb. 

 Sta. 5. 1 or 3 sterile, often ilidjnamous. Anthers 2-celled. 

 Ot;a. acelled, seated in a flesliy disk. Sti/!e 1. Stigma of 2 plates. 

 F;'.— Capsule coriaceous, 1— 2-celled. 2-valved, many -seeded. 

 ads. generally winged, destitute of albumen. 



Genera 44, species 450, mo.?tly r.'orth American. Others are diffused in all coiuitries, particularly within 

 the tropics. .Several of the Brazilian species of Bignoniu afl'ord a valuable timber. But this order is best 

 known for the beauty of its flowers. 



Genera. 



Calvx 5-toothed. Stamens 4, fertile. Climbingshrub.s Tecoma. I 



Caly.v2-parted. Slarnens 2 fertile, with 2 or three abortive. Trees Catalpa. % 



1., TECOMA. Juss. 

 Calyx campanulate, 5-tootlied ; cor. tube short, throat dilated, limb 

 5-lobed, subhilabiated or equal ; sta. 4, didynamous, with the rudi- 

 ment of a fifth ; anth. cells 2, diverging ; caps. 2-cellcd, 2-valved ; 

 seeds wiugcd. — 7Vees or shrubs, often climbing. Lvs. opposite, digitate, 

 or vjieqvaUy pinnate. 



